Chinese Opera Puppet, c. 1900

This late 19th century hand-held wood press is carved with a large mold used for shaping festive mooncakes. Packed with lotus root, red bean, or other regional fillings, mooncakes ar...

A small Chinese chatelaine tool set strung with a single brass spoon. Suspended from one's clothing at the shoulder, back, or waist, a tool set such as this was used for a variety of...

This Chinese opera hand puppet is dress in an elegant, embroidered silk dragon robe. The puppet head is of painted wood. The white face usually represents a villain. Puppetry is a major entertainment performance art in Chinese traditional theatre. This traditional performance art was widely used in religious and rural events to exorcise evil spirits. Puppets are also used in festivals such as the Chinese Ghost Festival to scare away ghosts, as well as significant events including births or marriage or to entertain audiences. The puppet theatre has developed into several different genres amongst different areas in China including rod puppets, glove puppets, shadow puppets and string puppets...

1. Clear As Crystal, Red As Flame: Later Chinese Glass, by Claudia Brown, Donald Rabiner. Natural History, University of Washington Press, 1990. Gloriously colored Chinese glass arti...